Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm [Paperback]

Casey Edward Greene (Editor), Shelly Henley Kelly (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

“The Great Galveston Storm of 1900 came vividly and frighteningly to life as I read the letters from those fortunate few who survived the wind and water.Casey Green and Shelly Kelly have done a marvelous job of research in “Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm”.What was “Isaac’s Storm”, is now Martin’s and Alice’s and Ida’ Storm. The book is proof once again that fact can be as readable as fiction.”--Ron Stone, writer/host of “The Eyes of Texas”

(Ron Stone, writer/host of "The Eyes of Texas" )

About the Author

CASEY EDWARD GREENE is head of special collections at the Rosenberg Library in GalvestonSHELLY HENLEY KELLY is assistant archivist at the Rosenberg Library in Galveston.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: TAMU Press (May 7, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585442283
• ISBN-13: 978-1585442287
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #436,124 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #61 in Books > History > Historical Study > Oral History

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Best Book on the the 1900 Storm, September 8, 2000

By 

Ed Cotham (Houston) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm (Hardcover)

This is a must-own book if you're interested in the great storm of 1900 or Galveston history generally.If you're going to buy just one Texas history book this year this is definitely the one to get. Despite the fact that the scholarship and research that went into this book is first rate,it is highly readable and you can almost hear the voices of people who experienced first hand the tragic events of this greatest of American natural disasters.The pictures and maps in this book are also woven together in a marvelous fashion. The Rosenberg Library in Galveston is to be commended for using its collection to put together this extraordinary book, which tells a powerful and moving story.This is history at its best.

Ed Cotham Author of Battle on the Bay: The Civil War Struggle for Galveston

18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Authentic voice from the survivors, September 22, 2005

By 

jeanne-scott (Virginia) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm (Paperback)

This is a collection of stories gathered from first hand survivors of the Great Galveston Hurricane that occured on September 9th in 1900. There are letters that were written in the immediate aftermath of the hurricane, as well as memoirs written in the years that followed. Oral histories are transcribed, so that you "hear" the voices of those that went through the storm and the recovery efforts. Many of the sources were collected from the Rosenberg Library in Galveston. The letters and the memoirs are reproduced in their original form, which only adds to the pure authenticity of the horror and despair of the residents of Galveston.
The book begins with excerpts from a daily journal kept by Isaac Cline who was the U.S. Weather Bureau meteorologist in atime when meteorology and it's vital importance was in it's infancy. What follows are horrifying accounts of the total destruction of what had been a city in the midst of an economic boom, the 3rd richest city in proportion to it's population, a railroad center, a banking center, and a huge exporter of cotton, wheat, cattle and corn. As the economy boomed, the citizens of Galveston turned away from the possibility of a major hurricane striking them.
When the hurricane did strike Galveston, the city was nearly wiped clean. Estimates of the dead start conservatively at 6000 and as high as 12000. Marshall law was declared in order to quell the looting and other forms of civil disobedience that occured. Rumors ran rampant in the streets after the storm creating fear and panic to a decimated population. The death toll was so immense that bodies of the deceased were brought to the beach in any form of conveyance available and stacked in piles. Seeking the missing family members and friends was a hideous labor. Insurmountable odds faced those that searched the stacks of the dead.
As recovery efforts progressed it was realized by all that a complete reorganization of the local government was critical to the future of Galveston. The new government that was chosen streamlined the decision making process and it also provided clearly defined lines of responsibility. while Galveston did rebuild both physically and financially, it took careful planning and a realistic look at it's future.
There are over 70 photographs showing the aftermath of this catastrophic storm and the destruction wrought upon Galveston.
This book adds a clear and vivid account of the lives of those that survived this storm. This is a remarkable book that brings us a look at the human spirit of people whose lives are forever impacted by disaster and yet manage to continue on despite the hardships and vast loses.

10 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars History at its Best, July 13, 2001

By 

"cotham1025" (Houston, Texas United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Through a Night of Horrors: Voices from the 1900 Galveston Storm (Hardcover)

This is the best book available on the Great Storm of 1900 and its effect on Galveston, Texas. An unbelievable amount of research obviously went into it. Very well written. Highly recommended.